MIDEAST >14 PKK targets destroyed in northern Iraq: Military

A total of 14 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq were destroyed in an air operation on Jan. 10, the Turkish Armed Forces stated on Jan. 11.

According to a statement by the military, Turkish warplanes conducted an air operation in the Zap, Gara, Hakurk, Avaşîn and Basyan regions between 6 p.m. and 8:34 p.m.

It stated that 14 targets used by the militants were hit by strikes and destroyed in the operation.

Meanwhile, four PKK militants were killed in operations conducted in the southeastern provinces of Siirt and Şırnak late on Jan. 10.

Police in Siirt engaged in an armed clash with two PKK militants who were preparing for attacks in the province after they refused to obey surrender calls.

The militants were killed in the operation while one Kalashnikov, three Kalashnikov clips, two guns and clips, three anti-personnel rocket ammunitions, two antitank rocket ammunitions and 12 hand grenades were also seized in the operation, the Siirt Governor’s Office said in a statement.

In addition, another two PKK militants were killed in operation in the Uludere district of Şırnak.

The Şırnak Governor’s Office said in a statement that two PKK militants were killed during a security forces operation conducted in the Beyaztepe Karçalı-Düğün Dağı region.

Previously, the Interior Ministry had announced that a total of nine PKK militants were neutralized during security forces’ operations conducted between Jan. 2 and Jan. 9 across the country, while 344 suspects were detained, 36 of whom were later arrested.

Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply that the person in question was either killed or captured.